The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-07-23

beyond his present achievements. He
has thoughts that rise to God and hopes
that wander through eternity. While
the soul bears witness to itself, it also
bears witness to him who made it. The
best proof of God is that within. There
is no argument from design or any
other source, like that in the human
heart.
~ The signs Of this spirit in man are
seen In all ages and among all peoples.
The objects upon which its powers are
exercised vary, but the spirit is the
same everywhere and Away. From
the Papuan to Isaiah is an immense dis
lance, from Isaiah to Jesus is an added
distance immense; but the tremor that
thrills the Papuan in the presence of
his Karwar, is one with the experience
of Isaiah, when he exclaimed: "His
ways are higher than our ways, and his
thoughts than our thoughts, ''-one
with the sublime emotions that rose in
the breast of Jesus when he said: "God
is spirit, and they that worship him
must worship him in spirit and in
truth !"
~ That there is spirit in man dis
tinct from the body, every high and
holy thought bears witness every pang
of sorrow for the suffering; every thrill
of joy for the happy every feeling of
indignation in behalf Of those who are
oppressed; every image Of beauty that
fits through the mind. That there is
spirit within man is proved whenever
he chooses duty to ease, whenever he
seeks truth without fear Of conse-
quences, whenever he hearkens to the
voice of conscience when it makes proc
lamation against the voice of gain.
That there is spirit within man is
proved whenever he rises above the
monotony Of life's work, the Invitations
of it's cares and the WEAKNESS Of its
burdens, and finds rest and peace in the
thought of God. That there is spirit
in man is proved by every high impulse
to sacrifice his body for the sake of
others, to give it to the stake or the
cross rather than be false to truth
and light. The body changes, but these
sentiments or the capacity for them re-
mains. Even in the day when the
keepers of the house tremble and the
strong men bow themselves, the tenant
rises in majesty and strength and looks
forth to house not made with hands.
You have seen birds in the late autumn,
standing upon their ruined nests, plum
ing their wings in the midst of the first
now-fakes, for flight to SUMMER skies
and warmer lands. So 1--WE know that
if our earthly house of this tabernacle
were dissolved, we have building of
God, house not made with hands,
eternal in the heavens"
II. "There is spirit in man and the
inspiration of the Almighty giveth them
understanding. Says DR.. Charming
1--WE need new revelation, not of
heaven or of hell, but of the spirit
within ourselves"
~ We now take step in advance
of the idea with which we started. Not
only is there a spirit in man, but God
himself is in man. Not only is the
Divine image there, but the Divine life
as well. The thought of the indwell-
ing God is a favorite one with Paul.
''Know ye not thatye are the temple of
God and that the spirit of God dwelleth
in you ?" 81 will dwell in them
and they shall be my children and
will be with them and be their God.''
"Who is above all and through all and
in you ALL" Others also had attained.
"God is near you, is with you, is within
you," wrote Seneca to Lucretius: ga
sacred spirit dwells within us, the
observer and guardian of all our evil
and good. There is no good man
without God. Do you wonder that
man goes to the gods ? God comes to
men; nay, what is yet nearer, he comes
into men. No good mind is holy with
out God"
~ Thus does he become present
and vital fact in our lives. Thus do we
see that he works to-day. To-day he
inspires and guides. To-day he fills
the mind with holy thoughts and the
heart with strange raptures. To-day
the inspiration of the Almighty giveth
understanding to the spirit in man.
Let us take all the light and help that
distant ages can give US; let US be glad
that there were prophets and holy
teachers and men who spoke with au-
thority in days that have gone; let us
come to them ever and anon for their
message of wisdom and power; but,
my brothers, let us not shut up God to
Judea. Let US not say that he spoke
thousands of years ago and has since
been silent. Say not that the seal Of
dumbness is upon the lips of the eter-
nal. Nay, God is, not was; l AM is his
name; not l have beenl He is here
and now; not alone fact of yesterday
and of Palestine or Egypt. We to-day
may take upon our lips the words of
the psalmist, and they are words as